Chapter 141
The group sat in stiff silence, tension humming between them. The air in the so-called park—more of a concrete slab with a few scraggly trees—felt heavier now, thick with unspoken words on what they’d just seen.
A few feet away, the spot where the civilian had been dragged away was already clean, like nothing had happened. Like he had never existed.
Zara scooped a spoonful of food and brought it to Leo’s lips, her other hand resting protectively against his back. "Come on, baby. Eat a little." Her voice was soft, but inside, her mind was a battlefield.
Leo, nestled against her side, shook his head stubbornly. His curls bounced with the movement, his lower lip jutting out in the beginnings of a pout. "Not hungry."
She sighed, brushing his curls away from his face. "Just a few bites."
He hesitated before taking the spoon into his mouth, chewing slowly.
She sighed, setting the spoon back into the container and staring down at the food. The mashed grains, the protein strips, the pale vegetable slop. It didn’t smell bad, but something about it made her uneasy. Was it safe? She had already eaten some, already fed Leo a few bites, but now doubt slithered into her mind like a viper coiling around her thoughts.
What if they were drugging people?
What if this was how they controlled the civilians?
Across from them, Winter was barely touching his food. He poked at it once or twice before tossing his spoon onto the tray. "We shouldn’t even be eating this crap," he muttered. "Who knows what’s in it?"
Zara exhaled sharply through her nose. "Don’t say that while I’m feeding my kid."